Chapter 411: Cause of Death

Sitú Fang asked the Lu family cultivator, “What exactly is this mine used for?”

The Lu family cultivator’s face was pale. He gritted his teeth and remained silent.

Sitú Fang threatened,

“People died in here. If you don’t talk, the Dao Court Division will investigate to the end. Your Lu family won’t be able to escape responsibility.”

The Lu family cultivator said, “A few mine workers die, they die. Our Lu family will just compensate with spirit stones.”

After saying this, it seemed he had convinced himself and gained some confidence.

“Yes, yes! A few mine workers—our Lu family will just pay in spirit stones…”

He sneered, “This mine has tunnels in all directions. Some abandoned entrances are nothing unusual.”

“These mine workers didn’t know better, they crawled in themselves and… were eaten by monsters. What does that have to do with our Lu family?”

“A few worthless lives, if they die, it’s their own fault!”

Sitú Fang’s anger flared, and she wanted to strike him.

Mo Hua quickly stopped her.

“Sister Sitú, getting angry won’t help.”

Sitú Fang furrowed her brows but held back.

Mo Hua turned to the Lu family cultivator.

“Usually, when mine workers die, it’s an accident. A few spirit stones would suffice. But this time is different. This is murder—it’s a violation of the ‘Dao Laws’…”

The Lu family cultivator sneered. “Who killed them?”

Everyone fell silent for a moment.

The scene was bloody and tragic; no one knew who the killer was, nor whether it was even human.

The Lu family cultivator laughed.

“You can’t find the culprit, so how can you call it murder? I think these mine workers were just reckless, barging into the mine to steal our Lu family’s resources. They got trapped and eaten by monsters…”

As he spoke, he became more convinced, his expression growing increasingly arrogant.

Mo Hua’s eyes flickered. Then he smiled brightly and framed the accusation:

“I see. You killed these mine workers for wealth!”

The Lu family cultivator froze.

“You little brat, what nonsense are you talking about? I don’t even know them. Besides, they’re just poor mine workers. What wealth could there be worth killing them for?”

Mo Hua said,

“Not knowing them makes them easier targets. And wealth isn’t always obvious. If you didn’t kill them or check their storage pouches, how would you know they had no wealth?”

The Lu family cultivator was furious.

“You’re slandering me with blood in your mouth!”

‘Well, no kidding,’ Mo Hua thought silently.

He added with a tinge of regret,

“Since you won’t confess, we’ll have to take you to the Dao Court Division, lock you in the Dao Prison, and interrogate you severely…”

The Lu family cultivator sneered.

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Why wouldn’t I dare?”

“You… the Chief of the Division and our Lu family…”

He stopped mid-sentence, his face changing, unwilling to continue.

Mo Hua’s eyes shifted slightly. He understood.

Since the Lu family was the largest family in Nanyue City, owning the most mines, they certainly had dealings with the Chief. And it seemed these dealings weren’t ordinary.

On the surface, the Dao Court Division and the Lu family acted independently.

When problems occurred, the Dao Court Division would investigate and hold the Lu family accountable.

But behind the scenes, there were likely some dealings.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then sneered:

“Even if the Chief has connections with the Lu family, it has nothing to do with you…”

“You’re just a minor Lu family cultivator. Five mine workers’ lives—do you think the Lu family will protect you, or that the Chief will intervene?”

“Do you think you’re worthy?”

The Lu family cultivator felt a chill in his heart; his arrogance vanished.

Mo Hua continued,

“We’ll take you back, lock you in the Dao Prison, and externally claim that you killed five mine workers…”

“How do you think the Lu family will act? Will they commit the outrage of everyone to protect you, or let you take the blame to settle things quietly?”

The Lu family cultivator’s eyes trembled.

Seeing his expression, Mo Hua sighed and pretended to be indifferent, as if avoiding trouble:

“Actually, we didn’t want to get involved either…”

“But those mine workers kept causing trouble at the Dao Court Division, and they had no choice.”

“The higher-ups need an explanation. Sister Sitú also has to report.”

“Who killed these five mine workers doesn’t really matter.”

“No one cares about the facts. What everyone needs is someone to take the blame, admit the crime, and calm the matter down…”

Mo Hua patted the Lu family cultivator on the shoulder.

“The higher-ups decided—you are that person…”

The Lu family cultivator shivered.

“You’re lying to me!”

But his tone trembled, lacking confidence.

He didn’t know Mo Hua’s identity but knew Sitú Fang’s.

Sitú Fang was indeed a principal of the Dao Court Division in Nanyue City.

On the surface, she seemed to be investigating the truth for the mine workers.

But the Dao Court Division was murky; appearances and reality didn’t match.

He couldn’t be sure whose side Sitú Fang was truly on.

And why, among so many Lu family disciples, was he chosen to guide them?

Mo Hua gave Sitú Fang a glance.

Sitú Fang darkened her face and smiled ominously:

“Take him back. The Chief needs an explanation. As for the Lu family patriarch… a mere Qi Refining mid-stage disciple—surely they won’t care.”

Bai Zisheng reached out to grab him.

The Lu family cultivator struggled, shouting angrily,

“You have no evidence! You can’t arrest me or convict me!”

Mo Hua tapped his head.

“Oh, right. We need to make some evidence.”

He then took out over ten spirit stones, crushed them, and stuffed them into the Lu family cultivator’s hands.

The Lu family cultivator froze.

“What are you doing?”

Mo Hua “called deer a horse”:

“These spirit stones are evidence of you killing for wealth!”

The Lu family cultivator was bewildered.

This little brat didn’t even bother to pretend? To frame him so openly?

He quickly threw the spirit stones to the ground.

“I didn’t do it! It’s not me…”

Mo Hua sneered.

“You refuse a toast, so drink the punishment wine?”

The Lu family cultivator said,

“What else can you do?”

Mo Hua’s eyes glinted. A hint of malice appeared on his face, his voice low and sinister:

“We’ll lock you in this cave, seal it with formations, and keep you with these five dead mine workers…”

“A few days later, we’ll come to inspect. Everyone will find you at the crime scene, together with the deceased. You’ll have no defense.”

The Lu family cultivator said,

“I’ll say… you framed me!”

Mo Hua instantly looked innocent.

“Who would believe you?”

The Lu family cultivator’s eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

“Oh, right,” Mo Hua added,

“You might not even survive until then. Who knows what’s in this cave? It eats mine workers—it might eat you too…”

“You could be locked in today, and eaten tomorrow…”

“Then it works out—you killed for wealth and perished alongside them.”

“No one else will know what happened here…”

The Lu family cultivator stared in disbelief.

This little brat… who exactly is he, and how does he trap people so methodically?

Finally, he helplessly nodded:

“Fine, I agree.”

Before finishing his words, he tried to run while Mo Hua was distracted. But he had barely taken a few steps before his body was restrained.

Looking down, he found himself bound by pale blue, water-shaped chains.

The Lu family cultivator was horrified.

“What kind of spell is this?”

Mo Hua sneered.

Bai Zisheng strode forward, dragging the Lu family cultivator back.

Mo Hua feigned impatience and gestured to Bai Zisheng:

“Seal him in there. I’ll set up the formations.”

Sitú Fang hesitated briefly but said nothing.

Bai Zisheng raised an eyebrow and dragged the Lu family cultivator toward the cave where the mine workers had died, rotting and stinking.

The Lu family cultivator was terrified.

Only now did he realize this little brat was serious.

He struggled and pleaded,

“Let me go! Let me go! I’ll say everything!”

Bai Zisheng glanced at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua nodded.

Bai Zisheng dragged the Lu family cultivator back, dropping him in front of Mo Hua.

Mo Hua said,

“I’ll ask you some questions. Answer well, and I’ll let you go. Hide anything, and you’ll join those mine workers…”

The Lu family cultivator’s face turned gray. He nodded.

“What is this mine used for?”

The Lu family cultivator shook his head.

Mo Hua’s gaze grew cold. He was about to send him in.

“I… I really don’t know!”

Mo Hua’s eyes narrowed.

“Then what do you know?”

“I… I only know…”

The Lu family cultivator hesitated, then sighed,

“I only know that these mines were built on the orders of the patriarch, and the formations inside were personally instructed by him.”

“Once built, the mines were sealed. No one has ever entered…”

“No one knows what’s inside.”

“The patriarch strictly ordered that no cultivator should know about the mines or enter them…”

Mo Hua frowned, then asked,

“How did those mine workers die?”

The Lu family cultivator stammered,

“I really don’t know that either… How would I know they sneaked into these mines?”

“You didn’t notice?”

“They came at night. It’s dark and eerie then—who would go into the mine for no reason?”

Mo Hua’s eyes narrowed.

“Eerie?”

The Lu family cultivator knew he had misspoken and fell silent.

Mo Hua said,

“The caves may be damp or dark, but that doesn’t make them eerie, right…”

The Lu family cultivator’s eyes darted.

“You don’t want to say?”

He nodded, then seeing Mo Hua’s stern expression, fear returned, and he shook his head.

“Tell me—why is it eerie?”

The Lu family cultivator hesitated, swallowed, and slowly said,

“Supposedly, at night there are ghosts in the mines…”

Mo Hua was stunned.

“Ghosts?”

The Lu family cultivator nodded.

“At night, the yin energy is strong. There’s creaking, and the mine trembles slightly, as if someone is chiseling…”

He wiped cold sweat from his forehead.

“Some say the mine workers who died unjustly became ghost cultivators. When yin energy is strong at night, they return to the mines to mine as they did in life…”

Mo Hua frowned.

It seemed those mine workers had tried to steal minerals at night and encountered unknown spirits in the mines, which led to their tragic deaths.

Yet, doubts remained.

Mo Hua repeatedly questioned him.

The Lu family cultivator stammered but his account was largely consistent, likely truthful.

More secret matters would probably be unknown even to a mid-stage Qi Refining Lu family disciple.

Mo Hua also inquired about some news regarding the Lu family, then nodded:

“Since you’ve been so cooperative, I won’t make things difficult for you.”

The Lu family cultivator felt a huge weight lift off his chest.

Mo Hua, however, pondered,

“If the Lu family knew you told me all this…”

The weight returned to the cultivator’s chest. He hurriedly said,

“Little friend, sir, ancestor… please don’t tell anyone…”

If it got out, the Lu family wouldn’t spare him.

Mo Hua reluctantly said,

“Fine…”

Then he warned,

“But you must obey. If anything happens, I’ll ask you again…”

“By the way, what’s your name?”

The Lu family cultivator, wishing he could cry, said: “Lu Ming.”